Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Monday's Forecast
Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
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Moderate breeze, locally gusty
A noticeable breeze, feeling cool where exposed on tops. Locally may be gusty, but unlikely to affect walking progress. 15-25mph.
Patchwork of cloud and sun
Dry most or all day. A mix of cloud and sunshine. Occasional cloud banks drifting over higher slopes, lifting above the tops.
Cool to mild
Air temperature 5 to 10C on higher terrain. Comfortable temperatures on lower terrain, but feeling chilly if exposed to wind higher up, especially if stationary. Pack extra layers.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Monday 28th September 2026
Last updated
Sun 27th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Breezy over Scottish mountains, windier further northwest, feeling chilly. Showery for western Lochaber, Mull and around Skye, tending to fade during afternoon. Largely dry elsewhere, varied cloud over hills in morning, lifting and breaking above many tops with some sunshine. Lighter winds for England & Wales.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Breezy on tops. Early showers, patchy cloud lifts, sunshine.
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southwesterly 20 to 30mph, strongest gusts around higher Cairngorms, tending to lessen in afternoon. Then into night, strengthening southeasterly to gusty 25-30mph.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery, starting to affect comfortable walking on some exposed high tops and ridges; feeling rather cool.
How Wet?
Local showers in west in morning
Brief showers mainly hills near Drumochter and some may reach the Monadhliath and western Cairngorms in the morning, but fading out to be generally dry.
Cloud on the hills?
Early patches then mostly little
Patchy cloud around some hill slopes in the morning, mostly areas toward Ben Alder and southwest Cairngorms, soon above 800-900m; well broken northwards. Lifting to rare patches and most or all tops often clear.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60% southwest early in day, otherwise 80%, rising to 90% all areas.
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine and patchy fair-weather cloud, locally more cloud southwest early in day. Visibility excellent.
How Cold? (at 900m)
4C rising 7 or 8C. Feeling like -2 to -5C in the wind on higher areas in the morning.
Freezing Level
Above the summits. Local pockets of slight frost at dawn in sheltered eastern glens.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Tuesday 29th September 2026
Last updated
Sun 27th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southeasterly 40 to 60mph, strongest speeds over high Cairngorms, but also turbulent gusts downslope to north.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions on exposed terrain, but sudden buffeting also to some lower elevations.
How Wet?
Risk of rain developing south
Mostly dry start, but spots of rain likely develop mainly over southern slopes, becoming drizzly where in cloud, risk with time pulses of steady rain; very little may reach northern areas.
Cloud on the hills?
Most south and forming over tops
Banks of cloud forming soonest on southern slopes, tending to develop increasingly with a cloak of cloud rolling over the higher Cairngorms, whilst toward Monadhliath may see very little until later.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Early weak sun giving way to overcast skies, staying brighter north. Good visibility then hazier.
How Cold? (at 900m)
5C rising to 10C, increasingly humid; may rise slightly more by evening onward.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Wednesday 30th September 2026
Last updated
Sun 27th Sep 26 at
4:30PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Southerly 40 to 60mph, but at times 70mph over tops, particularly higher Cairngorms.
Effect of the wind on you?
Challenging walking conditions, frequent buffeting knocking you off balance, any mobility at times difficult.
How Wet?
Heavy rain for a time
A band of rain moves northeastward across the region likely during morning into middle of day, some heavy falls mainly southern areas. Later a few showers.
Cloud on the hills?
Lifting and breaking, best north
Extensive cloud over the hills in early rain, then lifting rapidly and clearing toward upper slopes, though some patches may linger, mainly on southern slopes.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
60%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Sunshine breaking through as rain clears. Poor visibility in rain, then improving to be very good.
How Cold? (at 900m)
Humid 12C or above from dawn, dropping during the day to a fresher 9C later. Feeling near/below freezing in the wind.
Freezing Level
Above the summits.
Planning Outlook
Strong southeasterly winds by Tuesday, widely gales on mountains with turbulent downslope gusts toward the west; some rain developing from the south during the day, becoming heavy later - a band of rain moves northeast into early Wednesday, leaving blustery south-southwesterlies into Wednesday and Thursday, showery in the west. Some occasional rain further ahead, but more often looking drier as higher pressure tends to expand further north during early October. Mostly mild temperatures, some cooler nights develop.